Sarah from Splash Happy is our latest Women in Business. Sarah is helping women to embrace their natural hair through her range of haircare products. We had a chance to sit down with Sarah and talk about Splash Happy and how she started her business.

Can you tell me a bit about Splash Happy? What inspired you to go embark on this journey?

            Well the business started with a shower cap, which is where the name Splash Happy actually comes from. Shower caps were always a personal frustration of mine, they are too small and quite ugly. I found it really hard to find one that fit all of my hair and would still let my hair breathe. I was taught how to sew as a child by my Mum and I really reignited that love as an adult. So, I decided that I was going to stop saying that I wish someone would make a shower cap that worked for me and just make one myself.

This really started with your own frustration at a gap in the market. What made you keep going after you created the perfect shower cap?

            I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, I wanted my own business but wasn’t sure where to start or what kind of business to create. When I worked in corporate jobs I didn’t have the time to start anything because all of my time and energy was spent at my job. Over my maternity leave, I actually had the time to perfect my shower cap design so after I tested the product and remade it, I made another 70. I just knew that there had to be other women out there who shared my frustration with shower caps and I was right, they all sold very quickly. I loved having the time to create something and I knew it was a great product. For me, this really was about the shower cap but I had a lot of feedback from people with curly hair about how they would wear the caps to bed to help maintain their hair so I started making silk ones. This then evolved into the silk pillowcases and the silk lined tubular hair wraps as well.

Wow, it’s great that you were so receptive to people’s feedback. Did you test out the silk wraps on your own wavy hair first?

            I actually didn’t know I had wavy hair before I started this business. I knew my hair wasn’t straight but it wasn’t until I started researching curly hair for Splash Happy that I really started on my own hair journey. I heard a lot of stories about how my products have changed people’s relationship with their curly and wavy hair so I thought maybe I should try it and I’m so glad that I did. People are becoming much more knowledgeable about curly and wave hair. There was a long time where our only options were to straighten our hair or tie it up but I love to see that people are embracing their natural hair more and more.

What does a typical day look like for you?

            I have two children so my days do tend to revolve around them and the business. My eldest is at school and my youngest is at preschool 3 days a week so on school days I have to rush out the door to get them to school and then rush back to start work. For Splash Happy, I have to do a lot of stock management to make sure that I have enough stock. Most of my fabric comes from overseas so I can’t just go down the road to get more if I run out. I also do a lot of content creation. Learning how to create engaging reels, use graphic design and take good photographs was a big learning curve for me. The other main part is customer service. If anyone reaches out to Splash Happy they will be talking to me. I stand by my products because I know they are great and I want to make sure that everyone is getting the most out of their hair wraps. I spend a lot of time talking to people and helping them make the most out of their Splash Happy products.

What are some challenges that you have faced with Splash Happy?

            Definitely trying to find the time to do everything and to do it well. I have to balance my daily task list with also learning new things to help drive engagement. Lately I have been spending a lot of time learning to market through email marketing. It is going well but learning takes time. Everything has been an evolution but I am lucky in that I have such a good support system and some people that I trust to answer any questions.

What inspires you to keep going through the challenges?

            Splash Happy is an artistic outlet for me as well as a business. I love being able to find amazing fabrics and create with all of the different textures, colours, and patterns. I also love hearing how my products helped someone to embrace their curls and how much they enjoy the products. I think of my business as a problem solving business, and I get to work with someone to find a product that really allows them to love their natural hair.

What is your favourite pair of Nicole Rebstock shoes and why?

            I love a good chunky loafer so my favourite pair at the moment is the Demi loafer in the steel blue. I also love that it has the white sole with the blue leather.